City · Louisiana
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette, city, in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana. Lafayette had 123,311 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 121,374 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 121,715 (±89). GEOID 2240735.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
123,311
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 121,374 · ACS 2020-2024: 121,715 ±89
Median household income
$61,915
±$2,564 (90% margin)
Louisiana: $60,756
Median home value
$257,000
±$8,693 (90% margin)
Louisiana: $216,500
Median gross rent
$1,100
±$27 (90% margin)
Louisiana: $1,064
Where is Lafayette and what county is it in?
Lafayette is a city in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana. It covers 56.2 square miles of land, 2,160 residents per square mile in 2020.
Lafayette is in the Lafayette, LA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 4 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Lafayette, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 123,311 people lived in Lafayette on July 1, 2025, up 1.6% since 2020, while Louisiana shrank 0.9%. The 2020 Census counted 121,374 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 121,715 (±89).
| Measure | Lafayette | Lafayette Parish | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 121,715 ±89 | 247,997 | −4,951 |
| Households | 52,966 ±1,073 | 100,903 | +2,139 |
| Average household size | 2.25 ±0.05 | 2.43 | −0.15 |
| Housing units | 59,363 ±931 | 112,184 | +1,933 |
Lafayette's population since 2000
From 110,257 in 2000 to 123,311 in 2025: up 11.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Lafayette as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Lafayette?
The median resident of Lafayette is 36.9 years old; 20.9% are under 18 and 17.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 56.1%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 29.0%. 7.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Lafayette | Lafayette Parish | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 ±1.0 | 36.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.9% ±1.0 pts | 24.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.3% ±0.7 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Male | 49.0% ±0.8 pts | 48.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8.1% ±0.8 pts | 6.7% | +4.5 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 56.1% ±1.5 pts | 61.7% | −5.2 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 29.0% ±1.5 pts | 25.4% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.2% ±0.4 pts | 1.9% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.0% ±0.7 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 7.0% ±1.1 pts | 5.2% | +2.7 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 10.9% ±1.2 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.4% ±0.6 pts | 5.6% | – |
| With a disability | 13.1% ±1.1 pts | 12.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.3% ±1.3 pts | 8.7% | +1.6 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.9% ±1.1 pts | 90.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 41.1% ±2.0 pts | 35.3% | +2.9 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 13.9% ±1.3 pts | 11.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.4% ±1.4 pts | 87.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.0% ±0.7 pts | 1.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Lafayette earn?
Half of Lafayette's 52,966 households earn less than $61,915 a year (±$2,564), against $67,451 in Lafayette Parish and $60,756 in Louisiana. In 2015-2019 it was $63,090 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 18.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Lafayette | Lafayette Parish | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $61,915 ±$2,564 | $67,451 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $92,296 ±$3,889 | $97,461 | – |
| Per capita income | $40,517 ±$1,703 | $40,361 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 18.3% ±1.8 pts | 17.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 24.6% ±4.2 pts | 23.2% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.4% ±1.1 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.4% ±1.1 pts | 94.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.9% ±1.1 pts | 91.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Lafayette?
Owners occupy 53.1% of Lafayette's occupied homes and renters 46.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $257,000 by its owner (±$8,693). The median renter pays $1,100 a month including utilities, and 43.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Lafayette | Lafayette Parish | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $257,000 ±$8,693 | $242,900 | +$16,522 |
| Median gross rent | $1,100 ±$27 | $1,057 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 43.7% ±3.6 pts | 45.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,642 ±$65 | $1,605 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 53.1% ±1.9 pts | 65.5% | −3.5 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 46.9% ±1.9 pts | 34.5% | – |
| Housing units | 59,363 ±931 | 112,184 | +1,933 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.5% ±0.8 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 6.2% ±1.5 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 62.9% ±1.6 pts | 67.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.8% ±0.7 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.2% ±0.4 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 13.2% ±1.3 pts | 19.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.7% ±0.4 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.0% ±1.3 pts | 6.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Lafayette work and get to work?
80.4% of Lafayette's workers drive alone and 9.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.2%.
| Measure | Lafayette | Lafayette Parish | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.0% ±1.2 pts | 65.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% ±0.9 pts | 5.1% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 80.4% ±1.8 pts | 80.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.5% ±1.0 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.5% ±0.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 2.0% ±0.6 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.9% ±1.3 pts | 10.4% | +6.4 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.0 min ±0.6 | 22.9 min | −1.2 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Lafayette?
35 census tracts lie mostly in Lafayette, and 10 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $20,430 (Tract 8) to $127,821 (Tract 14.23).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 17Lafayette Parish | 6,269 | $84,855 |
| Tract 11Lafayette Parish | 5,528 | $32,079 |
| Tract 14.12Lafayette Parish | 5,628 | $94,437 |
| Tract 15Lafayette Parish | 5,229 | $111,923 |
| Tract 14.03Lafayette Parish | 5,882 | $77,131 |
| Tract 18.02Lafayette Parish | 4,611 | $49,941 |
| Tract 19.04Lafayette Parish | 5,857 | $76,875 |
| Tract 22Lafayette Parish | 4,227 | $48,243 |
| Tract 6.02Lafayette Parish | 4,158 | $51,936 |
| Tract 12.02Lafayette Parish | 4,373 | $50,501 |
| Tract 6.06Lafayette Parish | 3,840 | $81,758 |
| Tract 14.20Lafayette Parish | 3,953 | $68,487 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Lafayette) · Census block assignment files
How does Lafayette compare with other places in Louisiana?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Lafayette is the 239th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 4th-most populous of 304 in Louisiana.
Lafayette ranks 96th of 251 places in Louisiana with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 4th | 304 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 34th | 156 |
| Residents per square mile | 38th | 263 |
| Median household income | 96th | 251 |
| Per capita income | 45th | 263 |
| Median home value | 37th | 247 |
| Median gross rent | 70th | 229 |
| Poverty rate | 136th | 216 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16th | 229 |
| Median age | 157th | 262 |
| Owner-occupied share | 206th | 260 |
| Work from home | 33rd | 87 |
| Travel time to work | 216th | 260 |
Lafayette's figures with every place in Louisiana (CSV)
Every place in Louisiana, sortable · Compare Lafayette with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Lafayette?
2 of the 57 figures for Lafayette on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Lafayette are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Lafayette.